Deuteronomy 4:13
And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments, and he wrote them on two tablets of stone.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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While the verse calls the Ten Commandments "the covenant," it really highlights that the covenant itself wasn't just a list of rules, but God's binding promise initiated by His gracious declaration and solidified in writing. The wording emphasizes that this covenant, declared and commanded, is what binds them to God.
Moses is reminding the Israelites of the foundational covenant God made with them at Mount Sinai, emphasizing that the Ten Commandments are the core of this agreement. He's showing them that God didn't just give them rules; He formally established a binding relationship that they were commanded to uphold, evidenced by God writing these laws on stone tablets for permanence. This sets the stage for all the subsequent laws and instructions that follow in Deuteronomy, highlighting the gravity of their commitment.
Understand the original words
berit · Hebrew Noun
A solemn, binding agreement between God and His people, often involving promises, conditions, and signs. It establishes a relational bond where God commits Himself to His people.
aseret had-devarim · Hebrew Noun phrase
A set of fundamental moral and religious laws given by God to Israel, serving as the core obligations of the covenant. They summarize the moral requirements for living in relationship with God and others.
This passage is the direct recounting of the Ten Commandments themselves, which are explicitly identified as the covenant God declared in Deuteronomy 4:13. It provides the foundational text of the covenant God established with Israel.
Exodus 24:12This verse describes God telling Moses to come up to Mount Sinai to receive the stone tablets with the law, directly linking the physical manifestation of the covenant (the tablets) to God's communication with Moses. It highlights the divine origin and physical medium of the covenant's core commands.
Jeremiah 31:31-34This passage prophesies a 'new covenant' that will be written on the hearts of people, contrasting with the stone tablets of the old covenant mentioned in Deuteronomy. It shows how God's desire for obedience evolved from external commands to internal transformation.
Hebrews 8:6-13This New Testament passage explains how Jesus is the mediator of a 'better covenant' and that the old covenant's laws, including the Ten Commandments written on stone, are being fulfilled and replaced by a new reality written on hearts. It underscores the enduring significance and ultimate fulfillment of the covenant declared at Sinai.
gillDeuteronomy 4:13: "And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone."
And he declared unto you his covenant,.... So the law was called, because it contained, on the part of God, things which he would have done or avoided, to which were annexed promises of long life and happiness in the land he gave them; and they, on their part, agreed to hearken to it, and obey it, Exodus 24:3 , which he commanded you to…
ellicottDeuteronomy 4:13: "And he declared unto you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten commandments; and he wrote them upon two tables of stone."
(13) His covenant . . . ten commandments. —See on Deuteronomy 5. He wrote them.—See on Deuteronomy 10:2.
While the verse calls the Ten Commandments "the covenant," it really highlights that the covenant itself wasn't just a list of rules, but God's binding promise initiated by His gracious declaration and solidified in writing. The wording emphasizes that this covenant, declared and commanded, is what binds them to God.
Moses is reminding the Israelites of the foundational covenant God made with them at Mount Sinai, emphasizing that the Ten Commandments are the core of this agreement. He's showing them that God didn't just give them rules; He formally established a binding relationship that they were commanded to uphold, evidenced by God writing these laws on stone tablets for permanence. This sets the stage for all the subsequent laws and instructions that follow in Deuteronomy, highlighting the gravity of their commitment.
Moses is reminding the Israelites of the foundational covenant God made with them at Mount Sinai, emphasizing that the Ten Commandments are the core of this agreement. He's showing them that God didn't just give them rules; He formally established a binding relationship that they were commanded to uphold, evidenced by God writing these laws on stone tablets for permanence. This sets the stage for all the subsequent laws and instructions that follow in Deuteronomy, highlighting the gravity of their commitment.
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"And he declared to you his covenant, which he commanded you to perform, that is, the Ten Commandments, and he wrote them on two tablets of stone." — While the verse calls the Ten Commandments "the covenant," it really highlights that the covenant itself wasn't just a list of rules, but God's binding promise initiated by His gracious declaration a…
